Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-21
ON TRIAL.
Lessons From the BRtger Murder
Trial. as Set Forth Last Night by
the Rev j. HssWright, at the Chris

Trial. as Set Forth Last Night by
the Rev. J. H...Wright, at the Chris
tian Chapel.
AT the Christian chapel last night Rev.
J. II. Wright delivered the following
interesting sermon on the Betger murder
trial:
Text-'Thou shalt not kill Ex 2O13; Matt
SRI
A dark cloud has overhung our com
munity for months About 8 p. m. July
81, were heard a scream, "a splash and
calls for help, gurgle, dying gasp and
then all was still. A life had gone out.
Was it murder or suicide? Daring the
past week strong effort has been made
TO festen the crime of murder unon the
husband of the deceased. Not guilty."
was the jurys verdict, yet it took hours
to reach it. But the case is closed and
eternity alone will disclose all the facts.
Neither rehearsal, accusation nor vindi>
cation was the speakers purpose, but to
d. aw some lessons from the trial. The
following extracts will give our readers
the outline In wilderness ten COM
mandme nts were given to wandering
tribe. They form the basis of our best
laws today. Therein are condemned
murder, the capstone of crime; adultery,
the murder of home and chastity: theft,
which su5verts the rights OF properly
and leads to violence; false witnessing in
scandal or perjury. With the growth of
these the court had to deal" After de-
scribing the court scene. the speaker
referred to
NATURE. NECESSITY AND DIGNITY OF Law.
Law is the expression of will. It
becomes rule of action to the individ>
ual. Experience has taught the necessity
Of law. Violated law endangers life and
happiness and demands penalty. If We
are guilty, as alleged in the Indictment,
we ought to suffer. said the counsel for
the defense. Hence we see judges, jur-
ors and prosecuting attorneys, that just
/ penalty may be visited upon the offend
er." These principles hold true in di.
vine legislation. Gods will is revealed
and becomes law to US. 1t restricts or
commands and has its penalty. Penalty
is a necessity in the moral universe"
| WEAKNESS OF HUMAN COURTS OF JUSTICE.
The best efforts to secure Justice may
be thwarted. Laws are sometimes un
just. When unpopular they are unin-
forced las the closing of saloons By mid
night lest a juror be tempted to indulg-
euce9 The prosecution may be indiffer-
ent OF IL sympathy with the accused, or
unable TO lay hold of the evidence known
often only by the accused. Jurors may
sometimes be stupid and unable to weigh
evidence; or prejudiced, or sympathetic.
or bribed These are possibilities in oul
courts, but not so in the heavenly court
No hidden things there No question as
TO motive or fact. All shall be revealed
and justice rendered.
UNHAPPY HOMES
| What holier than true marriage
But there must be respect, virtue and
love. How impossible for happiness
where these do not exist! Alas. how many
homes are desolated by Jealousy and dis
regard of the marriage tie. ! plead fol-
purity of thought and act that JOY may
reign
FOETICIDE
Among the shifting scenes IN this tria
came the awful charge of attempted foeii,
eide. In ancient Sparta the puny and
deformed infants were thrown by order
of the council into a deep cavern at the
foot of Mt Faygetus Nine thousand
infants are annually exposed in Pekin
China. the police, like scavepgers. throw
them into carts and bury the dead anC
dying together each morning. Among
barbaric tribes parental murder, or fpti
eide is common But why say this? tt
cite attention that in our own land, amons
all ranks In society, physica strength il
Slapped and moral sensibility destroyed
. by this practice which we call barbarou
in heather lands What wonder physi-
: clans lose faith 10 human nature! God
/ eye does not s.eep His hand will rebukt
! US as a nation if such things continue
MURDER AND SUICIDE
is on the increase. Some one is in troubh
, and s'ys I will drown myself and N,
trouble will be over. | can then rest
But what misconception Death is no
an eternal sleep. God reigns. and in
life to come there is the final judgment
8 Men kill because they expect to escap
the penalty. but know this doom come
at lest
FROM PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE.
From the one learned how to view
the dignity of law, the justice of penslt
= for its infracuon, and the hard labor t
:. gather testimony TO convict Il soul of sin
:. From the other learned what an awfu
, thing-a human life-was in jeopardy
It How they argued and warned and plea
Il TO ssve that life. What significance i
t the closing words, 1 rest the case will
4 you. | have done and said all | can I
save this life So may the preacher Ia
Dor to rescue Sustained souls. May
lead you to Him who alone can save.